New York, Sep 24 (IANS/EFE): US Secretary of State John Kerry met Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and agreed on the need for urgent humanitarian aid for Gaza. He also expressed his willingness to support a possible resumption of the peace process with Israel.
Kerry and Abbas met late Tuesday in New York where both are attending the UN General Assembly.
"The secretary and President Abbas talked about the situation in Gaza and agreed on the critical importance of providing immediate humanitarian assistance and finding a lasting solution for the people of Gaza," a senior US official, requesting anonymity, told reporters after the meeting.
On Monday, Kerry announced more than $71 million in humanitarian aid to meet emergency needs in Gaza where the US estimates that more than 58,000 people are still homeless following the Israeli military operation this summer.
There was particular US concern about the scarcity of food and clean water for Gaza residents.
Along with an initial contribution of $47 million in July, the latest contribution will mean a total of $118 million in aid from the US since the crisis.
After 50 days of armed conflict in which more than 2,100 Palestinians and 70 Israelis were killed, both sides agreed to a temporary truce in August subject to negotiations mediated by Egypt, which resume this week in Cairo.
During Tuesday's meeting, Kerry also reiterated to Abbas his "support for a two-state solution and a willingness to support negotiations if both sides agree on a way to go", said the U.S. official.
According to US diplomatic sources, the Obama government has decided that it would get involved only if the Israelis and the Palestinians demonstrate a true will to negotiate seriously.
Peace negotiations stalled in July 2013.
Tuesday's talks came just a week before Obama receives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.
At the UN General Assembly, Abbas is seeking to advance a new peace initiative that aims to fix a date for the Israeli evacuation from the West Bank and East Jerusalem within three years.
On Tuesday, Kerry held a series of meetings, including one with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri who pledged to work towards a "durable" solution in Gaza, as well as Arab League Secretary-General Nabil el-Araby, according to US sources.
On Wednesday, Kerry will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who is expected to discuss the global threat posed by the Islamic State (IS) Sunni radical group, an issue that Washington sees as a potential point of cooperation with Russia despite their marked differences on the Ukraine crisis.